License Plate Side Mount for Suzuki M800 / M50

Hi made this bracket and placed the number plate to the side,not to impressed,seems to big.Will more than likely put it back before the weekend is over.

I like it, great job with the bracket by the way but I would reduce to a 7" plate.
A 7" plate with clear letters will not get noticed like the small plates some riders have but stops it looking like a sail & I like seeing the rear wheel

Cheers Dave will look at the 7" plate,its always nice to have a spare anyway.

Alfie I don't know if you have a plate supplier or not but just in case you don't, I get mine from here LINK They are good quality and a fast service.
I am sure there are cheaper ones out there on the net though but I have used them for years so can't be arsed to look around and then find I am not happy. What you see with these guys is exactly what you will get so make sure if you use them that you are happy with the font style and letter size on the plate, some fonts are bigger on the plate than others.

alfie92 what are you useing to light the plate the light that was lighting it is now in the wrong place not a critasisum but more an idear (wich you probaly know about allready)you can by little leds that are biult in to a bolt so you just use them as you would to hold number plate on and they will light it aswell there are a few different kinds just in case you hadent seen them . looks good by the way go with a smaller plate (just my opinion)

custom dynamics.com think its spelt like that has em led tag bolts also pritty much anything with led lights for your bike they sell it duno about price

Good job Alfie, wish I had your skills

Cheers for the input,Morgan have seen those led lights you mentioned,they are around £10 a pair,should be able to knock something up.Dave checked your number plate site out looks good,will certainly bear it in mind.I like to look at things that have been done and then try and do the same only cheaper,sometimes works ,but the fun is in the trying.That's what I like about the site you always get good feedback of other members.

alfie92 wrote:

I like to look at things that have been done and then try and do the same only cheaper.

We must have been dealt from the same pack of cards, I just wish I had a little more time

Alfie did you stay with the side mounted plate & did you add lights to the plate?

No Dave placed it back on the back,it was to restictive getting the bike in and out of tight spaces.I am still working on the idea but making it a little smaller.The lighting of it is easy with a couple of leds.

I have been thinking of doing it myself but I like the curved ones that they do but cant see where you can get curved plates.
I may have a go at heating an old number plate to see if I can bend that and then make a forked bracket that just bolts on at the top and bottom of the number plate. I would much rather make one for a couple of bob than spend a load of hard earned cash anyway.
As always lots of idea's but no fekin time

This is kinda what I am thinking.
What the finished thing actually ends up looking like though, is anybodies guess

Good idea Dave,and on the plus side it will make your number plate look smaller.

Decided to have a play with the idea of bending an old number plate today, that will attach to a home made bracket, as I would like to crack on with the side mounted plate soon.
The first thing to consider is how the plate is constructed. What you have is a thick sheet of plastic with the numbers & letters stuck onto it & then a thin piece of clear plastic stuck on that. So the heat must be applied to the underside of the plate, and allow the plastic to heat slowly. Otherwise the letters and clear plastic will just distort and melt. I used a halogen spot light to apply the heat that I have over my workbench. I layed the plate ove a cylinder and let the lamp slowly do the work for me.
For a first attempt I think the plate turned out rather well, so at least now I know I can bend a plate without it going all wonky.

Excellant Dave will be nice to see it mounted,just to get the persective of what the plod can see,not being disrespectful,just the police around here and North Wales have a zero policy on bikes.On the plus side it looks like a plan come into fruition for you.

Good point about the Dibble Alfie. I actually rounded the plate more than I will when I actually do the real one. Curiosity of pliability is what took it to that degree of curvature, as I wondered if there would be a problem due to layers.

PS, I think I need a bloody head Doctor, before I have even finished a current mod I am always thinking about cracking on with the next one

Good thinking Dave, I will look forward to how you eventually do your side plate but with a curved plate you will need to light it from above and below

Good point but not a problem Crash, a couple of tiny plate mounted LED's will sort that problem out. Another idea would be to have a single well placed small forward facing led somewhere that would illuminate that plate.

I know this is really old post now but just for any body else's reference you can buy flexible numberplates and they dont break which is the normal prob with banging the plate on a side mount against things.

Nice one, thanks for the info. I did wonder how they got the plates in those curved holders.

hi. im thinking of doing diy side plate holder myself..
How thick should the steel be?
is it better steel or aluminum?
where to fix it? the axle bolt or the one higher?
thanks
marko

Can't help you with thickness of metal, but I don't suppose it'll make much difference, apart from weight.  As far as fixing goes, mine actually bolts through the redundant shock mount, but also fits over where the axle goes through to steady it - it also has a hook arrangement to secure it to the bottom of the swing-arm.  This means it's solid, with no up/down movement.

This was the one I bought SIde Mount & this is what it looks like fitted

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Really smart dave

For anyone glossing back through this thread, here are some links for ...

Flexi plates

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=261093236477&globalID=EBAY-GB 

Led light bolts...

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=201377752879&globalID=EBAY-GB

mare1411 wrote:

hi. im thinking of doing diy side plate holder myself..
How thick should the steel be?
is it better steel or aluminum?
where to fix it? the axle bolt or the one higher?
thanks
marko

I'd say about 2mm thick and made of steel, make sure you brace it diagonally from the rear of the plate to the mount (like Dave's) as well, any bends in the metal will be under extreme pressure from the wind resistance otherwise.

bigmal wrote:

Really smart dave

Cheers Mal !!

I think mine's about 4 mm on the main section & 2 mm on the brace - I'll measure it later & post.  Just to stress, it really does need to be "locked" so that it won't rotate down.

thanks.. ill try to put something together..

OK - I got the callipers out on mine this morning.  The main section is (approx) 4.5 mm, the brace section is 2.5 mm & the plate holder is 3.5 mm 

Hope this gives you an idea of what you're aiming for - by the way - it's a heavy bugger  !!

My side mount bracket is a 5mm thick piece of steel I cut from an old hanging basket bracket. I  drilled holes to fix it to the bottom shock mount and to take the plate holder.
The plate holder is a very nice piece of 1mm stainless steel that was salvaged from an old Nespresso coffee machine that was being scrapped.
At the time I didn't know what I would use this piece of stainless for, just knew it would come in handy one day. Lo and behold five years later inspiration struck and I now have a very nice side mount number plate on my VZ800 Marauder.

It's great when you recycle stuff like that. Years ago when me and Mrs bigmal had just started going out, she had a mark one cortina. The plate that the bonnet latch locks into had rusted away, so me and my dad put in a section of an old stainless toaster that he had been holding onto... "Because one day that will come in handy". Happy memories.

I love when I can reuse, upcycle or repurpose bits and pieces I have lying round. I was going to buy a number plate bracket from Germany for £70, so the money I saved by making my own got spent on new indicators, petrol and a bottle of 12 year old single malt.

should it be all in one piece? will weded together be enough? or should I pute some bolts through?

Mine is all in pieces which are bolted together, but if you're confident in your welding, I'd say that'd be fine.  Sure a member has better welding skills than me (non-existent) & can advise

I just tought because I think its easier to weld it rather that to nicely bend 3mm steel :)